Vending machine mechanism



March 13, 1945. Q MELCHERT 2,371,343

VENDING MACHINE MECHANI SM Filed April 6, 1942 S SheetS-Sheet 1 INVENTORL Chan es A (Me/chem a kNEY,

March 13, 1945. Q MELCHERT 2,371,343

March 13, 1945. c. A. MELCHERT VENDING MACi'IINE MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 6, 1942 llh.

Fay) 12.

INVENTOR. Char/e5 ,4. Me/G/i/f Tron/Ex Patented Mar. 13, 1945 VENDING MACHINEMEOHANISM Charles A. Melchert, Drex eral Vendor Mfg. Co.,

poration of Missouri el, Mo;, assignor to Gen- Kansas City, Mo., a cor' Application April 6, .1942, Serial No.43-7,78 0

6 Claims. (01. 312-36) This invention relates to'vending machines of the character wherein is supported a number of bottles disposed in a special manner to baselectively withdrawn from the vending machine case after a coin has been inserted, to render operative manually 'movable latching means, normally holding the access-door of the cabinet .in a closed and locked-condition.

One of the important aims of the instant invention is to provide a bottle-vending machine with door latching parts formed to preclude unauthorized opening ofsa'id door and to maintain the same'closed and locked until after a coin of predetermined denomination hasbeen introduced by the purchaser.

A further aim of this invention is-to provide a vending machine of the slective type, having an unique bottle rack associated withpartson the case containing the same, whereby said rack may be easily rotated yet quickly and effectively arrested'in its movement to station a selectedbottie-beneath the delivery opening of the case.

This invention has for another aim to provide a vending machine for bottle goods with an adjustable rack formedof a number ofsections,

some'of which" support the bottle or article, While others circumscribe parts. thereof to preclude lateral displacement, said sectional rack being assembled by means capable of permitting quick acljustnient whereby'the rack-may carry a large number'of bottles of various heights with the ends thereof in substantially'acommon plane.

This invention relates to vending machines of the general character disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 371,266, filedDecember 23', 1940, matured into- Patent 'No. 2,308,'989,'issued 'tical sectional view .thro

lustrating the operating plunger andassociated parts which actuate the linkage shown in' Figs"!!- to 5 inclusive, inthe normalposition.

Fig. 7 is a similar sectionalview-illustrating the operating plunger moved of its path of travel.

Fig. 8 is a similar sectional view illustrating the position which the plunger assumes when the linkage is in that condition shown in Fig. 5. Fi 8ais1a section on line VlIlI--VIII of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view ofthe bottle rack perse.

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the same] Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic. fragmentary ver= line XI-' XI'of Fig. 9; r

'Fig'. 12 is a "similar. sectional viewbut with one of-the guard sections'removedto condition the rack for holding relativelyshort bottles;- and Fig. 13 15 a fragmentary'sectional view illustrating the use of adaptors for shortbottles when the parts of the rack are assembled asillustrated in'FigsQ, 10 and 11;

Case 4 has walls of v insulating material andforms-an article receiving compartment l 6 where-' in refrigerating means may be disposed with the commodity being vended. A cover 20 forcasew 14' is provided" with a delivery opening 22 andslots 24 for the reception of the hereinafter parts of the closure '26* for opening22'.

A reinforcing spidenjgenerally indicated by the:

I numeral 28, is mounted on the under-side of cov- January 19', 1943', in class 312', subclass 36, and is a continuation in part, of said case.

In the drawings; Fig. 1 is a top planview of a vending machine of theseleotive type; made in' accordance with the: present invention; for cleamess.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken 'online II-I-I- of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of th yend-' ing' machine cover showing-the locking linkage on thenormally under surface thereof.

Fig. '4 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of said cover showing said linkage in another position. V

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the said linkage in yet another position.

Fig. 6 is a vertical fragmentary enlarged sectiona'l view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 1, i1-

parts being broken away er' '20 and forms abe'a'ring 30 forthe reception of a vertically disposed shaft 32 upon which is hung the rack 34.-- This shaft 32 has a handle 36 disposed abovethecover 20 and an indicator plate 38 mounted on shaft '32 has graduations 4n visible to the operator to cooperate with pointer 42 on closure 25. When one of the graduations I is in registerwith pointer 42, a bottle 44 may be" withdrawn through delivery 'openi-ng 22; In"

- commercial practice; it is desirable to have a graduation 40 for each stall in rack 34;

Rack 34 is mounted for free rotation in hearing 30 andsaid bearing'should be equipped with anti-friction elements; such as ball or roller bearings, not here shown but which maybe assembled with shaft 32in the conventional manupper surface of whichis unduIated, as illusoFFicE inwardly to the end h the rack taken on described Rack 34 is releasably arrested in any one'of the. many positions where one of the 'graduati'ons Ml;

the periphery of roller 48 to contact said roller on each side of a vertical plane passing through its axis of rotation. Upper section I36 of rack 34 is provided with a nurnber of apertures 52 and counter-sinks 52, the sides of which intersect with surfaces 49.

Roller as is carried by an arm as pivotally mounted as at 51 on bracket 59, which is secured.

to spider 28 in the position shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive. Spring 6| bears against arm 56 to force roller 48 against the undulated upper annular surface of section I36. A supporting roller 63 mounted upon bracket 59 underlies section I36, the lower surface of which is smooth throughout its length. Therefore, as roller 48 exerts a downward pressure, roller 63 will neutralize such pressure and prevent binding at bearing 30.

A housing 58 mounted upon cover 26 accom modates conventional coin chutes or the like, through which the coin 60 is passed to the operative position shown in Fig. 1. Latch 62 lies in line with shoulder 64 to preclude plunger 66 from inward movement when a coin 60 is in place. Plunger 66 is rigid to and travels with an index plate 68, upon which is mounted roller I0 through the medium of machine bolt I2, the projected portion of which roller rides in a slot I4 formed in bracket I6. This bracket is disposed in a vertical plane upon cover 20 and has a vertical slot I8 formed therein for the reception of guide pin 80 laterally from bolt 82, yieldably held in an elevated position out of engagement with apertures 52 by bell-crank'lever 86 pivotally mounted as at 88 to bracket I6.

One leg 90 of lever 86 extends into compartment it of case I4 through a slot 9| in cover 20 while the other leg 92 is provided with a special slot 93 that receives roller 10. This slot 93 presents cam faces over which roller 93 may ride during the operation of the mechanism and said slot 93 constitutes two portions, angular with respect to each other, and each portion lies disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of leg 92 of lever 86.

Spring 94 not only yieldably maintains bellcrank lever 86 in a normal or set position, as seen in Fig. 6, but likewise maintains bolt 82 out of engagement with rack 34. This spring should be strong'enough to maintain the hereinafter described locking structure in a normal position where opening of closure 26 is precluded until a coin is dropped-into the machine.

Closure 26 has fingers 96 of like character extending respectively through slots 24. Both fingers have shoulders 98 formed thereon for the purpose of engaging dog I00 as closure 26 is swung to the openposition. This dog I00 is notched at its free end as'at I02 and pivotally supported by bolt I04 to spider 28. A spring I06 yieldably maintains dog I00 against one end of locking member I08 that is pivotally supported as'at I10 intermediate its ends. The other end of member I08 is joined to the free end of leg 90 of hellcrank lever 86 by link I I2, which link has pivotal connection with leg 90 and member I08 as at- I I4 and H6 respectively.

Another locking member I I8 pivotally mounted as at I .to spider '28 moves with member I00 because tie-bar I22 extends between members I I8 and I08 as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4v and 5. The

ends of locking members I08 and [I8 normally lie in a position to close slots 24 and to preclude the movement of fingers 86 through said slots into chamber I6. A bar I24 slidably maintains the free ends of these locking members I08. and H8 against the under-side of spider 28.

Closure 26 has a transparent panel I26 therein through which may be observed bottles 44 and the magnifying areas I23 of panel I28 assist the operator in reading matter usually printed upon caps I30 of bottles 44.

With the parts normally set as illustrated and just described, rack 34 is free to rotate for the purpose of allowing the operator to select bottle 44, that he wishes to withdraw from compartment I6. Rotation of rack 34 is accomplished by manipulating handle 36 and the line I32 across panel I26 together with indicator 42 and graduations 40, will expedite locating or registering the desired bottle 44 at outlet opening 22. Roller 48 riding over surfaces 49 has a tendency to arrest the rotation of rack 34 as a bottle is disposed beneath opening 22. means for quickly registering the desired bottle with outlet 22 is supplemented to a degree where the necessity for accuracy of the human element is overcome and whenever handle 36 is released,

a bottle will definitely be in proper place for removal.

Assuming now that the desired bottle has been positioned beneath opening 22. A coin 60 is dropped to the position shown in Fig. 1, where inward movement of plunger 66 will force the coin beneath latch 62, lift the same, and thereby allow continued inward movement of plunger 66 and index plate 68 upon which is mounted roller 10.

As roller and bolt I0 and I2 ride along slot I4. roller I0 will'exert downward pressure upon one edge of leg 92 of bell-crank lever 86 that is formed by slot 93. Such movement will rotate lever 86 about its pivotal connection 88. Leg 82 will thereby force bolt 82 into the underlying aperture 52 to preclude further rotative movement of rack 84. The other leg 90 of bell-crank lever 86 will draw lever H2 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 to move locking members I08 and H8 about their pivotal connections I I 0 and I20 respectively.

When these locking members are moved out of the path of travel of fingers 96, spring I06 will force dog I00 behind shoulder I09, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Thus, members I08 and I I8 will be held in a place where closure 26 may be moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, to the position shown in dotted lines thereof. When such manual manipulation occurs, shoulder 98 engages dog I00 to move the latter out of engagement with shoulder I09 of member I08. The movement-of dog I00 is from that position shown in Fig. 4. to that illustrated in Fig. 5. When thedog is so held out of operative engagement with member I08, spring 94 exerts a suiiicient amount of force to draw the edge of locking member I08 against the face of finger 96 where frictional con-..

tact of sufficient force is established to preclude accidental dropping of closure 26, if the operator should release his hold thereon. In so moving locking member I08 to that position shown in ,Fig. 5, plunger 66 is allowed to move back to that position shown in Fig. 8.

When. closure 26 is moved to the position shown in full lines of Fig. 2, finger 96 will permit lock-,-;

ing member I88 to return to the'position shown .in Fig. 3 prior to the movement of dog I00 into Thus, the visual likewise cast from light metal, such its path .of travel; Slots 24 will again thereby be? closed and the, fingers cannot be moved there closure without the insertion .of acoiiL 'Thus, the I slot 93'to roller becomeseimportant; The arcuate form of thetwo 'sectionsJof slot 93 relation of is clearly illustrated in Figs..6, 7 and'B and'are 'correct-insofaras permitting the operation is concerned. r

Thejrack 34 is so designedastoipermit-adjust ment of the parts-thereof, whereby.- to vend, for example, 6.7, 8, 10 or 12 oz bottles of. beverages and /3 or /zpt; bottles of milk.-

The rack-illustrated in Figs. 9, 10and 11 has theseotions thereof assembled to receive Tor 8oz. bottles 4.4 and-10 01- 12. oz.- bottles I34. The two upper sections I36. and I.38- of-rack'34'are cast with openings I 40 and I42 respectivelytherein. These openings I40 and I 42 arearranged in annular. paths, one above openings arev in alignment to define individual stalls for receiving thebottles as illustratedin the drawings. 1

Bottle supporting platforms 144, and I46 are as aluminum, and form the bottoms of stalls for. the bottles 44 and I34. Sections I and I38 are held in spaced relation by tubes or spacers I48v through which. pass tie-bolts I50.

' Where 6, 7 or 8 oz. bottles are to bedispensed with 10 or 12 oz. bottles; upper platform .I44and sections I36 and I38 are secured together by tie-' bolts I 50. Openings I40 and I42. are arranged in three annular paths and. the bottles in; the twogroups of openings arranged-in the. inner annular paths aresupported by platform I44. The bottles I34 arranged in the openings of the outer annular path are or annular platform I46. therefore, to secure platform by relatively short tie-bolts I52 that pass through sleeves I54.

Through such construction and arrangement of parts, flexibility is permitted with respect to quickly altering rack 34 to vend different types of bottles and containers of various. capacities. For example, in Fig. 13, is illustrated an adaptor I56 insertible into openings I42 of section I38 for the purpose of permitting the vendin of small milk bottles I58 with 6, 7 or 8 oz. bottles of other types of beverage. With this adaptor I56 employed as illustrated, the'rack may also vend 10 Or 12 oz. bottles I34.

An example of the advantages arising from the employment of a sectional rack 34 are further illustrated by reference to Fig. 12, wherein the intermediate section I38 has been entirely eliminated and supports I44 and I 46 drawn closer to upper section I36. When the parts are assembled as just mentioned, 6, 7, or 8 oz. bottles are not vendible and only small milk bottles I58 and 10 or 12 oz. bottles I34 are operatively supported in the rack. Y

It is advantageous If roller:

the other and thesaid:

supported by the ring-shaped action. .This slot I46to platform I44 ing a case provided with in connection .with the Tubular spacer suitable-for the purpose are employed when setting-the unitary sections of'the rack to accommodate bottles of diiferent heights.

- Because-changes might bernade to-alter the structures hereinabove described-thatembody the preferred form of the invention, it is" desired to belimited only by the spirit o'i-the invention and scopeof-theappendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed :asnew and ters Patent is:

Selectivebottle vending-equipment comprising aIcaseprovide d'with slots and an outlet open ing; a-"rack having bottle-receiving stalls succes-- sively registrable with the opening;- means forrevolvably positioning the rack in the case';- 'a hingedly mounted'door normally closing the open ing; fingers on the door movable therewith through certain of the slots-respectively into the 1 case as'the door isopened; a pivotally supported bell-crank lever having one leg thereof projecting through oneof I I ciprocablebolt-movable to and" from a position in the-path of travel of a part-.of said rack in connection with thesecond leg of said bell-crank" lever; pivotally mounted locking'structure nor-' mally closing'the said certain slots to preclude movement ofthe fingers therethrough; a link 1 joining the locking structure and the first men-' tioned leg ofthe. bell-crank lever; and manually operable coinreleasable means-for swinging the bell-crank lever around its pivotal. support to simultaneously move the bolt into a position in the path oftravel of a'partof' the rack'and to move the locking structure'- to open the certain slots to -permit passage of the fingers therethrough;said second leg or the bell-crank lever having an inclined slot' formed therein, the said" manually operable coin controlled means having a horizontally reciprocable plunger provided with a laterally disposed roller engaged within said last named s10; I '1 2. Selective bottievending equipment compris slots and'an outlet open-' ing; a rack having bottle-receiving talls successively registrable with revolvablypositioning the rack in the'case; a hingedly mounted door normally closing the opening; fingers 0n the door movable therewith through certain of the slots respectively into the case as the door is opened; a pivotally supported bell-crank lever having one leg thereof projecting through one of the said slots into the case;

" a reciprocable bolt movable to and from a position in the path of travel of a part of said rack second leg of said bellcrank lever; pivotally mounted locking structure normally closing the said. certain slots to preclude movement of the fingers therethrough; a link joining the locking structure and the first mentioned leg of the bell-crank lever; and manually operable coin releasable means for swinging the bell-crank lever around its pivotal support to simultaneously move the bolt into a position in the path of travel of a part of the rack and to move th locking structure to open the I certain slots to permit passage of the fingers therethrough,said second leg of the bell-crank lever having an inclined slot formed therein, the

said manually operable coin controlled means horizontally reciprocable plunger prohaving a vided with a laterally disposed roller engaged within said last named slot, said slot forming cam faces engageable by the roller to positively move and tie-bolt I62 of "a lengtlr the saidslots into the case; a re-' the opening; means for the bell-crank lever about its pivotal support case as the door is opened; a pivotally supported bell-crank lever having one leg thereof projecting through one of the said slots into the case;

a reciprocable bolt movable to and from a posi-- tion in the path of travel of a part of said rack in connection with the second leg of said bellcrank lever; pivotally mounted locking structure normally closing the said certain slots to preclude movement of the fingers therethrough; a

link joining the locking structure and the first mentioned leg of the bell-crank lever; and manually operable coin releasable means for swinging the bell-crank lever around its pivotal support to simultaneously move the bolt into a position in the path of travel of a part of the rack and to move the locking structure to open the certain slots to permit passage of the fingers therethrough, said second leg of the bell-crank lever having an inclined slot formed therein, the said manually operable coin controlled means having a horizontally reciprocable plunger provided with a laterally disposed roller engaged within said slot, said last-named slot forming cam faces engageable by the roller to positively move the bell-crank lever about its pivotal support when the plunger travels in either direction, said lot having two portions of difierent angular disposition with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bell-crank lever arm wherein the same is formed.

one of the stalls beneath the opening comprls-' ing an annular member-on the rack having a smooth, continuous under surface, an undulated upper surface, a roller beneath the member in contact with the smooth surface to prevent lowering of the rack, and a spring loaded roller riding over the undulated surface of the member above and in opposed relation with the first mentioned roller.

5. In a selective bottle vending machine of the charatcer described, a case provided with a delivery opening therein; a rotatable rack having bottle-receiving stalls successively registrable with the opening; means for rotating the rack from exteriorly of the case; and means to assist in arresting the rotation of the rack to position one of the stalls beneath the opening comprising an annular member on the rack having a smooth, continuous under surface, an undulated upper surface, a roller beneath the member in contact with the smooth surface to prevent lowering of the rack, and a spring loaded roller riding over the undulated surface of the member above and in opposed relation with the first mentioned roller, said undulations having planar inclined faces extending upwardly and outwardly from a transverse line whereby to be tangent to the spring loaded roller at two points on the periphery thereof when the said roller is at its lowermost position on the undulated surface of the member.

6. In a selective bottle vending machine of the character described, a case provided with a delivery opening therein; a rotatable rack having bottle-receiving stalls successively registrable with the opening; means for rotating the rack from exteriorly of the case; and means to assist in arresting the rotation of the rack to position one of the stalls beneath the opening comprising an annular member on the rack having a smooth, continuous under surface, an undulated upper surface, a roller beneath the member in contact with the smooth surface to prevent lowering of the rack, and a spring loaded roller riding over the undulated surface of the member above and in opposed relation with the first mentioned roller, both of said rollers being carried by the case independently of the rack.

CHARLES A. MELCHERT. 

